Crimp connections are widely used in industry to connect two electrical conductors or wire cables together. Crimp connections are also used to fasten a ring lug or spade lug to the end of a single cable. The cable or cable pair is inserted into the cable crimp connector, which is then compressed tightly around the cable with a compression tool. With small gauge wire strand cable, the tool is typically manually squeezed to compress the cable connector. In the case of large gauge wire strand cable, the compression tool is typically operated by mechanical leverage or hydraulic pressure.
FIGS. 1-3 show a compression tool 44 having a fixed anvil, or upper jaw 46; and a movable spindle, or lower jaw 48. It is to be understood that the compression tool 44 can be oriented in any position, vertical, horizontal, angled, the upper and lower portions reversed, and that these orientations are equivalent for the purposes disclosed herein. Crimping dies are installed in the compression tool 44. An upper crimp die 26 is mounted in the upper jaw 46. A lower crimp die 28 is mounted in the lower jaw 48. In FIG. 1, a C-shaped cable connector 30 is disposed in the lower crimp die 28. Upper 42 and lower 42 multi-strand wire cables are received in the cable connector 30. Each cable 42 comprises multiple individual wires 36. In FIG. 2, the lower jaw 48 is raised until the cable connector 30 contacts the upper crimp die 26. In FIG. 3, the lower jaw 48 is raised with force, until the cable connector 30 is squeezed around the cables 42. The resultant connection is shown in FIG. 4. Numerous air pockets or spaces 38 may exist between the wires 36. Air spaces 38 may be present around the outer periphery of each cable, between the wire strands and the cable connector 30. These air spaces 38 could reduce the current carrying capacity of the connection.